Girlfriends
by BadWolfKaily
Summary: Rachel is the smartest person in class, she's shy, timid, and has no friends. Quinn is popular, brash, and loud. Quinn's goal is to become Rachel's new best friend and burst her out of her shell. As Rachel transforms into one of the prettiest most popular girls at school feelings surface that could destroy their new found friendship or make it more. Based on the manga, Girlfriends.


A/N: This is unbeta'd and I just wrote it up super fast. It's based off the manga, Girlfriends by Milk Morinaga. Rachel's thoughts are in italics.

* * *

Rachel just had to miss school the day of a big test. So here she was having to take her make up exam. She lets out a sigh of relief as she passes her just finished test to the front and ignores the teacher as she dismisses the class.

"Hey, Rach! Do you take the bus home or drive?" came the blonde sitting to the left of her.

Rachel looked at her with a look of shock, they've been in at least one class together since freshman year and this is the first time Quinn Fabray has talked to her.

"I, uh, I'm just walking home today, Quinn," Rachel blushed nervously.

"Please, call me, Q. You don't mind if I walk home with you today, well, at least part way. I'm pretty sure I live in your direction too," the cheery blonde smiled as she gathered up all her things and waited for Rachel at the door.

With Rachel's delayed reaction it took her a minute to gather her own stuff and head towards the exit, "Sure, I don't mind."

As they made their way out of the school grounds Quinn couldn't help but chat with Rachel as if they'd have been friends all along.

"How do you think you did on the test?, Rach?"

_Why does she keep calling me Rach? Everyone else either calls me Rachel, Berry, or some mean name like Man-hands._

Rachel smiled back at the blonde, "I think I did alright, I'm pretty sure I got most of the answer's right," hearing a gasp from Quinn made her freeze, "What, whats wrong?"

"Nothing, I just thought cuz you made such a big sigh after the exam that maybe you sucked at English just as much as I, that's all. You weren't at school were you when we took the first test? I failed it so I really needed to take this make up exam," Quinn frowned blushing as she said the last part.

_Wow, she's really outgoing._

"So why'd you miss school that day? Were you sick?" Quinn just smiled with the most curious look on her face.

"Well, I, uh...well you see. I fell asleep in the bath that night and stayed in too long. I ended up getting a cold and couldn't go to school the next day," Rachel bit her lip in embarrassment.

Quinn laughed, "Oh, my gosh Rach, you're too much!"

Rachel pouted, "It's not that funny."

"Come on Rach, I'm thirsty, how about we go get something to drink at the Lima Bean?" Quinn excitedly grabbed Rachel's hand without even waiting for her to answer and dragged her in the direction of the Lima Bean.

"Wha-wait!" but Rachel knew protesting would be inevitable when it came to this girl.

_What if we get in trouble for not going straight home?_

Ten minutes later and Rachel was sitting in front of a Quinn stuffing her face with a donut, "Gosh, thinking always makes me hungry," Quinn smiled.

"I thought you were thirsty?" Rachel just couldn't quite understand this girl.

Suddenly Rachel jumped as the blonde leaned forward with an intensity in her eyes, raising her hand to stroke the brunettes hair, "Wow, Rach, is your hair naturally this straight?"

Rachel blushed as she stuttered, "Uh, yes, yes it is, why?"

Pulling her hand away, "Your hair is so pretty, Rach, it's so smooth and silky," the blonde just smiled as she rested her chin on her hand and just stared at the other girl, "To be honest with you, I've been jealous of your hair for a long time."

"But your hair is so straight."

"I've got a secret, but you can't tell anyone, it's super top-secret," Quinn leaned in to whisper in Rachel's ear, "I have to use this lotion for my hair, if I don't it gets super frizzy. It's a pain to straighten everyday. So I'm really jealous of your beautiful hair."

Quinn reached forward resting her hand on top of Rachel's head and rubbing it, "But I don't do anything special to it."

_Is she petting me?_

"That's true you do kinda let it grow wild. Why don't you get your hair cut? There's so many salons and hair styles you can try out," Quinn just smiled as she drew her hand back and started picking at her donut.

Rachel looked down and blushed, "Well, I get my hair trimmed at the salon my dad's go to."

Quinn just continued to smile, most people would be put off about her mentioning her two gay dad's, but Quinn could care less.

_She's too weird. I'm so getting out of here._

Rachel stood to push in her chair, "Thanks for the coffee and donut but I'm going to go now."

"I know! Let's get our hair cut together! How does tomorrow sound, are you free?" Quinn still just sat there with her unrelenting smile.

_Huh...?_

* * *

Later on that night Rachel walks into the kitchen to one of her dads, Hiram Berry fixing dinner, "Oh, Rachel, honey, are you done with your shower already?"

"Uh, yeah," sitting as she dries her hair with a towel, "Hey, dad?"

"Hmm?"

"I'd like to go get my hair cut tomorrow?"

"Oh? Well, it is getting kinda long, how about I call and make a reservation at the salon"

"No! I mean, I'd like to try out a different place this time. Can I have some money?" Rachel hesitated as she mumbled that last part.

"Sure, honey, are you going alone? Should I come with you?" Hiram paused looking a little worried at his only daughter.

"No, I'll be alright, I'm going with a...friend," Rachel blushed as she said that last word.

* * *

As soon as Hiram agreed to give her some money after her father got home Rachel made her way up to her bedroom. Sighing as she sprawls out on her bed to look at the ceiling.

"Oh, my Barbra, I'm only going because Quinn is forcing me to go. Dad looked at me like I was a total weirdo! And that's the first time I've ever not gone straight home after school since elementary school. OH, MY GOSH, WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR TOMORROW!?"Rachel jumped and ran to her closest, "Quinn wears such trendy clothes, I don't have anything cute to wear at all. Everyone always teases me for my argyle sweaters, dad still buys all my clothes for me."

Sighing in defeat she throws the shirt in her hands on the floor, "Maybe I should just tell her I can't make it. It's a good thing we exchanged phone numbers. I'll just tell her something came up. It's not like we're even friends..."

Grabbing her phone Rachel began to type in her text telling Quinn that she couldn't make it tomorrow but Quinn's sweet voice rang through her head, "You've got such beautiful hair, why don't you eve do anything with it?"

And at at that Rachel stopped, defeated, looking in her mirror. Brushing the ends of her damp hair with her hand. Rachel resigned herself to defeat and readied herself for bed and new adventure with Quinn tomorrow.

* * *

The next day Rachel met Quinn in front of the Lima Bean, it took Rachel forever to figure out what to wear so she was a few minutes late. She settled on wearing a mini skirt and a hoodie, her purse dangling at her side. She was greeted by Quinn's never ending smile, she swore she'd never get use to that.

Blushing, "Wow, you're so cute! I didn't know you wore such casual clothes outside of all of your argyle sweaters and stuff."

"Well, sure, I think I've been wearing this outfit since middle school. It's the best I could do," Rachel just blushed as Quinn giggled at her, "What?"

"I'm just happy, that's all. I thought maybe you just hung out with other smart girls. Compared to them I must sound really dumb and ignorant. I was really afraid you didn't like girls like me," Quinn just smiled as she wrung her hands together.

"No! That's not-"

"I know! That's why I'm so happy, come on the salon's this way," Quinn just grabbed Rachel's hand like she did the day before and dragged her towards the salon.

_I don't understand, Quinn, she's popular at school and probably has a boyfriend. Why would she be spending her Saturday with me?_

Entering the salon, a tall blonde boy wearing glasses created them,"Hey there Quinn! Oh, is this your classmate? I love when friends get their hair cut together, it's so cute!"

"Yep, we're reallly close!" Quinn just smiled.

_ Since when?_

"Hello there Rachel! Your hair is absolutly beautiful, how would you like it cut today?" the boy held up a pair of scissors as Rachel took her seat.

"I, uh,,,err," Rachel really hadn't thought about, she didn't even know why she was doing this.

"Oh, I know! Well, unless maybe you want to keep it long," Quinn just turned her head like a curious puppy dog.

"Whoa, slow down there Quinn," the blonde boy just giggled as he turned his attention back to Rachel.

"Sorry, I'll shut up now," Quinn just stuck her tongue out at the boy.

_We only talked for the first time yesterday and yet she's acting like we've been friends forever. But..._

"What...what exactly did you have in mind, Q?" Rachel just blushed at how enthusiastically she asked Quinn, "I don't know much about hairstyles so just do what she says, please," Rachel looked up at the blonde boy.

"Seriously, are you for real?" Quinn just jumped with happy excitement.

_Maybe her brashness is rubbing off on me._

Rachel just sat there as Quinn told the boy what to do and prepared herself for her knew transformation.

* * *

"Well, there you go, what do you think?" the blonde boy smiled as he removed that cape from around Rachel and shook off all the cut hair.

Rachel stared in the mirror in shock, "It definitely feels a lot lighter that's for sure."

_Maybe I got it cut too I look weird? But I thought Quinn said she liked long straight hair...unless...this was just a mean prank. Maybe she hates me, it makes so much sense now!_

"Uh, do you like it?" the worried boy just looked at her.

From across the room Quinn ran up all giddy, "Rach, look how does it look?" Quinn's hair looked about the same, just styled.

"Oh, look, Quinn's done too," the blonde boy blew out a breath of relief.

Quinn froze as she looked at Rachel and her short hair, "Y-you're the cutest thing ever! You look amazing!"

Quinn launched her arms around the stunned brunette, "Yep, it's the perfect cute for you. Short, wispy, and beautiful."

"You really-" Rachel just smiles and blushes, no one's ever told her she's beautiful before.

"I wish I could cut my hair short but I have to put hair relaxers in mine so I have to grow it out long to keep it from frizzing. The weight keeps my hair I just triimmed my ends and got it a bit styled," Quinn just fiddled with the ends of her hair.

"Doesn't Rachel look adorable with short hair, I think she looks lovely," the blonde boy swooned.

Rachel and Quinn just looked at the boy with are you okay looks on their faces.

Turning her attention back to Rachel she leaned on the salon chair and smiled into Rachel's ear, "You know the thing about short hair is it only looks good on cute girls like you."

_ Like me?_

"Oh, no, a lot of the girls in our class have short hair so don't tell them that I said that. It's top-secret," Quinn just folded her hands into a praying stance and prayed Rachel wouldn't say anything.

"Oh, my gosh, you have way too many secrets!" Rachel just laughed.

After paying Rachel and Quinn waved goodbye to the blonde boy whom Rachel later found who's name was Sam Evans, "See you later, girls!"

Walking outside Quinn stretched her arms and looked over her shoulder, "I'm thirsty, we should get something to drink before we head home."

"Sure! Well, if we're going to get something to drink we might as well get something to eat too," Rachel smiled at the blonde.

"You read my mind, alright lets go to the Lima Bean!" Quinn tugged on Rachel's hand.

"Lima Bean, again?" Rachel pouted.

_I do feel lighter...but not just because of the haircut._

* * *

Later on that night Rachel couldn't stop brushing and trying to style her hair in the bathroom. Rachel's dad Leroy yelled up to her, "Rachel, are you still in the bathroom? Hurry up, you're going to be late for school!"

"I know, I'm almost done," Rachel smoothed her bangs to the side, "Okay, ready."

_Three days ago on Friday I took a make-up exam. Yesterday was Sunday and I couldn't sleep at all last night._

"Oh, Rach, morning!" came Quinn's happy voice as she stood grabbing books out of her locker.

_ Today is Monday._

Rachel walked up to Quinn blushing, "Good...good morning, Q!"

_ I can feel the wind on my neck. It's nice. And now I know what it's like to have a friend._


End file.
